METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING RESIDUAL ENERGY IN A BATTERY-POWERED COMPUTER

摘要

Methods and apparatus are described for providing a time-based warning indicating that the energy capacity of a primary energy source of a battery-powered computer has discharged to a low level, and using residual energy of the primary energy source to perform at least one pre-cutoff function. The time-based warning ensures that the warning is provided in a timely manner by overcoming problems caused by analog to digital converter voltage measurement accuracy limitations and flat battery operating voltage versus discharge curves. The battery (110) provides power to operate the computer until the battery voltage discharges to the cutoff voltage (350). The methods and apparatus provide advantages because they reserve the residual energy in the battery (110) to perform at least one pre-cutoff function within a first duration before the battery (110) discharges to the cutoff voltage (350). Some embodiments of the invention include hardware resources coupled with the processor (120) to lock out power and application activation when the rechargeable battery (110) has discharged to a predetermined hardware lockout voltage (340).